"PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF VEHICLES, IN PARTICULAR TRACK BOUND VEHICLES, WITH ELECTRIC ENERGY"

The invention relates to an arrangement for providing a plurality of vehicles (162), in particular track bound vehicles, with electric energy. The arrangement comprises an electric conductor arrangement for producing alternating electromagnetic fields and for thereby transferring electromagnetic energy to the vehicles (162). The conductor arrangement comprises a plurality of consecutive segments (157), wherein each segment (157) comprises at least one phase line (13 5a, 13 Sb, 1 35c) for carrying a phase of an alternating current. Corresponding phase lines of neighbouring consecutive segments are connected in series to each other. The arrangement comprises a direct current power supply line for supplying electric energy to the segments (157). A switching device (NV) for producing the alternating current of the conductor arrangement from the current carried by the power supply line is connected to each interface between two neighbouring consecutive segments (157). The arrangement comprises a control device (159) for controlling the operation of the switching devices (152) in such a manner that a first active sector (1 57b) of the conductor arrangement is operated to produce an electromagnetic field in order to transfer electromagnetic energy to a first vehicle (1 62a), wherein a first switching device (JINV A) is connected to a first end of the first sector (15Th) and a second switching device (NV 1) is connected to a second end of the first sector (1 57b) opposite to the first end, wherein the first (NV A) and second switching device (NV 1) are controlled to operate at a phase shift. A second active sector (157e) is operated to transfer energy to a second vehicle (162b). A third switching device (NV 3) is connected to a first end of the second sector (1 57e) and a fourth switching device (TNV 4) is connected to a second end of the second sector (1 57e), wherein the third (NV 3) and fourth (NV 4) switching device are controlled to operate at a phase shift. The first to fourth switching device are controlled to produce no voltage across the phase line(s) of further segments (1 57c, 1 57d) in between the first (1 57b) and second (1 57e) active sector.